Long Beach’s QFilm Festival: Everything you need to know

LONG BEACH — The QFilm Festival — a cinematic celebration of the rich diversity and experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer communities — opens Thursday and close Sunday with more than 30 films on the schedule.

The annual festival, which showcases narrative features, documentaries, and short films, has a mix of West Coast, California, and local premieres as well as screenings of acclaimed features on the film festival circuit.

Here’s everything you need about the festival.

QFILM FESTIVAL

The festival will take place at the Art Theatre and the neighboring Long Beach LGBTQ Center.

TICKETS

Full-festival or individual tickets are available at the QFilms festival page or the Center box office. Individual tickets are $12; five-film pass is $50, and all-access pass is $120.

PARKING

Limited, free parking is available in The Center’s lot behind the theatre. Enter off St. Louis Avenue.

Pay-for-space parking is available across the street from the theatre at 2000 E. Fourth St.

Parking along St. Louis and Cherry avenues is free and unrestricted.

“Mi Mejor Amigo” (My Best Friend) is a coming-of-age film from Argentina. It will have its Southern California premiere at the QFilm Festival. Photo: Publicity image.

QUEER FILMS

Thursday

“The Advocate Celebrates 50 Years: A Long Road to Freedom” (7 p.m.) — A documentary about the legacy queer magazine thatfocuses on watershed moments in LGBTQ history and the gay protest that lead to the publication being launched.The documentary is narrated by Laverne Cox and features music by Melissa Etheridge.

FRIDAY

“Wild Nights with Emily” (6:45 p.m.) — An irreverent comedy about famous poet Emily Dickinson, brought to vivid lesbian life by Molly Shannon.

“Mapplethorpe” (9:15 p.m.) — The story of controversial gay photographer Robert Mapplethorpe is brought to life by Matt Smith (“Dr. Who” and ”The Crown”).

SATURDAY

“Every Act of Life” (10:30 a.m.) — The life of out Tony Award-winning playwright Terrence McNally.

About the author

Phillip Zonkel

Award-winning journalist Phillip Zonkel spent 17 years at Long Beach's Press-Telegram, where he was the first reporter in the paper's history to have a beat covering the city's vibrant LGBTQ. He also created and ran the popular and innovative LGBTQ news blog, Out in the 562.

He won two awards and received a nomination for his reporting on the local LGBTQ community, including a two-part investigation that exposed anti-gay bullying of local high school students and the school districts' failure to implement state mandated protections for LGBTQ students.